Erom © to South Victoria Land. 83 
southwards at the vicinity of Balleny, the advanced 
season determined me, after consultations, to use the 
opportunity and work towards open water, with the 
intention of making a fresh attack on the ice-pack 
further east. This plan was followed, and after a 
hard fight in the pack for forty-eight days the 
Southern Cross ran into open water, lat. 70° S., 
end long, 174° E. 
On the 11th February we were making eastwards 
A FAITHFUL COMPANION. 
by steam and sail. On the 12th we had rather a big 
swell from the N.W.; it was foggy and the baro- 
meter was 28:7:1. No ice was within sight. At 
ІІ P.M. the vessel was shaking as if by an earthquake, 
the phenomenon being noticed simultaneously by 
several of the members of the Expedition in different 
parts of the ship. The phenomenon, if so it might 
be called, lasted for two seconds, then stopped for 
about three seconds and then again repeated itself. 
It was independently reported to me by those who 
G 2 
